“However, God himself will redeem my soul from the hand of Sheol, for he will receive me. . . . Do not be afraid because some man gains riches, because the glory of his house increases, for at his death he cannot take along anything at all; his glory will not go down along with him himself. For during his lifetime he kept blessing his own soul; (and people will laud you because you do well for yourself,) his soul finally comes only as far as the generation of his forefathers. Nevermore will they see the light. Earthling man, although in honor, who does not understand, is indeed comparable with the beasts that have been destroyed.”​—Ps. 49:15-20.

In the final analysis, though, he attains nothing more than did his forefathers, namely, death. Thus he has only a world of darkness, not light. So, regardless of how greatly honored he may be in this system of things, the earthling who does not understand or appreciate spiritual things and makes no room for the Creator in his life is like a beast that has no capacity to worship the Creator. Thus the wealthy, self-seeking man lives like a beast and perishes like a beast.